[nfb-talk] Something to think about Re: Fw:Implantedchip 'allowsblindpeopleto detectobjects'

[Judy Jones]

Amen!!

So glad you wrote in.

Judy

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marsha Drenth" <marsha.drenth at gmail.com>
To: "'NFB Talk Mailing List'" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, November 05, 2010 10:22 AM
Subject: [nfb-talk] Something to think about Re: Fw:Implantedchip 
'allowsblindpeopleto detectobjects'


>I have been following this thread for a while now. I don't know about this
> device to say if it should be used or not, nor will I say that anyone of 
> you
> is right or wrong. But I want everyone to read my story, it will just give
> you something to think about.
>
> I grew up most of my life visually impaired. I learned Braille and had to
> use a cane. In 1999, I lost all of my vision. Completely, no light, no
> shadows, nothing. It wasn't a sudden change, it was over night. So as I am
> sure you can imagine, I was a bit thrown off. Yes I had the tools to live 
> as
> a blind person, using a cane, reading Braille, cleaning and so on. In 
> early
> 2000, I started looking for an "fix" to which would give me back vision. 
> In
> 2000, I entered in a very new medical protocol, of stem cell cornea
> transplants. I was the first in the state of Texas, and with my eye 
> disease
> to have this procedure.  After I had received my transplant of both, I was
> able to see 20/40. For the first time I was able to see normally. It did
> take me some time to adjust. Like for example, I had never seen shadows in
> the sun, or that there was so much detail to leaves on a tree, or that
> people wore glasses. For the first time, I was able to read regular sized
> print. I went to get my driver's license, and I drove for 4 years. After a
> year and half, my first set of tissue rejected, so I had another. The 
> second
> set of tissue, rejected after only after a little over a year. So there 
> was
> my third set of tissue, and this time it only lasted one year. Through all
> of this time, I was on huge amounts of anti-rejection and
> immunosuppressant's. I developed high blood sugar, high blood pressure, 
> high
> cholesterol, and the list goes on. At the end, I developed a kidney
> infection, that landed me in the hospital. They could not say to which 
> sort
> of infection I had, or where and how I got it. I was in renal failure. I 
> was
> given the choice to continue my meds, keep my vision, or die. I was slowly
> taken off my meds, and over night, like I had gotten back my vision, my 
> good
> sight was gone.  I am sure you all know to which I chose. So here is the
> kicker, at the time, I thought that having vision and being able to see, 
> is
> what made me. It was something I would risk my life to have. Yes I got to
> see, but this only the shorten version to the story. It was hard too, to
> adjust to seeing. I almost died to keep my vision, that is crazy to think
> about. I can never have any sort of transplant, because my body would 
> reject
> it right away. So like if I ever needed a new heart or kidney or lung, 
> nope
> not going to happen. None of those doctors knew what the long term risks
> were, but I am here to say, they were huge. I no longer have high blood
> sugar, or high blood pressure, or anything else I had then, but I damaged
> the nerves in my ears. Damaged them to the point, I am loosing my hearing.
> Its that a kicker, no vision, and going deaf. I am a total now. Yes I 
> would
> not take back what I did at all. I have three children, who at the time 
> were
> small, I was able to see them. Yes being able to see was great, but in my
> mind. Right now, medical technology has made a lot of advances, but not
> enough. The risk is still too high. I mean if you want to risk possibly 
> your
> life, go for it. Its your right. Yes I helped, the medical community, but
> long term what did it do for me? I had the same sort of procedures that,
> Mike May had. And yes, he can see. So it is different in all people. What
> Mike May wrote in his book, "Crashing Through" about getting back his 
> vision
> was exactly how it was for me. And if you have ever seen the movie, as 
> hoky
> as it was, "At first sight" how the man in the movie had to learn how to
> see. Yes I had to learn how to see too.
>
> So like I said, take that risk, but know exactly what might come from it.
> Know you might be able to see, but then not. Know that your life is
> precious, and your taking huge risks.
>
> If your one of those people, that won't believe me. I was featured in the
> Cincinnati newspaper, and on a local TV station there. Google my name of 
> the
> time, Marsha Lindsey. You will see, of course no one has done a story of
> what has come of it.
>
> Just wanted you all to think. And stop being mean to each other.
>
> Marsha
>
>
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